Idea: Eliminating obesity & preserving energy

[Colt McCoy]

I was reading an article in the WSJ this morning about some Hong Kong fitness club that has its cardio machines rigged up to a car battery to help power the gym lights.

What is someone sold a line of fitness equipment (treadmills, bikes, stairmasters, ellipticals) with mini-generators and batteries built in. There could be a standard outlet on the side of the machine.

The idea would be for people to hook their televisions up to the machine. The handcrank flashlights generate 30 minutes of use from one minute of cranking so I would think it would be possible to set it up so if someone wants to watch TV for four hours in the evening, he has to exercise for 30 minutes.

Given people love television and are alwaays coming up with little tricks to force themselves to stay on exercise programs, I think people would like this. Plus, it would save some tiny amount of electricity and people are all about being green these days.

What do you think?

[TheGrifter]

I think I just contacted the patent office.

Thanks!

[zoobird]

This is awesome.

How about a whole line of products that will ONLY work if you power them with exercise? You want your coffee warm in the morning? Start running!

[Sniper]

Colt, I like this idea... you should definately do some research into whether anyone else is doing something like this...